Tent puller



Dec. 21 .1926.

H. W. HAMMOND ET AL TENT FULLER Filed Sept. 5. 1923 2 Sheets -Shet 1 #21 ATTORNEYS H. w. HAMMOND ET AL v TENT FULLER Filed Sept. 5. 1923 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I "/01; an ll'flgoqpdllr? Patented Dec. 21, 1926.. i

"Application filed September This invention relates to'tumigation, and particularly to the treatment ot' trees :and

other vegetation with lethal gases. This:

treatment iscarried oirt-byenclosing the tree in a-tent. or other covering-of canvas or the like-Whichliniits the space in-avhich the lethal gas isefi ectiveb Hereto'torethe tents, Which ordinarilyare octagonal-sheets, have been pulled :QVGI' the "trees -'by =rn'eans of poles havingropes attached thereto so that-the operator can pull the polesfinto-upright positionandthus raise the e'd-geof the tent-over-the top of the tree. This procedure is extremely laborious, particularly Whenthe-trees are'large enoughzto' require tentsfiftydeet or-rnore insize "Itis theob ject of the present invention to provide an apparatus whereby thetents may be; rapidly and efliciently handled and applied to the trees Without injury thereto. A further, object of the invention-isgthe provision of a seltcontained "and self-propelling apparatus whereby the tents inay be I lifted and placed by mechanical power. 7 Further 'ob 'ects and advantages of thelinvention will be apparent as itis better 1 understood by-reference tofthe followingspecif fication' and jaccompanying drawing, "in "which 7 r V Fig, l is a side elevation of theapparatus illustrating the application of a tiltt0-21 ,Fig. 2 is an end elevation 'sirnil'arly-illus tr'ating the operation; cFigf'3 is" a',plan view and Fig. 4 i hook c Incarrying out the invention We employ a tractor orself-propelled vehicle-bf any ot l the A apparatus s a detail elevation -o'f a tent suitable design and construction. jPreteriably" "the tractor is providedwv'ith an internal-coinbustion engine which furnishes power both for propelling the vehicle andfor ac'tuating gthetent-placing apparatus.

, Thisapparatus' 1s mounted on the tractor and is connected in any-suitable-m anner to the engine so that the apparatus maybe operated when the tractor 'is standing. The "apparatus comprises .a pair ofiarmsiwhich are preferably extensible and are of sufficient length'to lift the tent over {the highest tree tojbe furnigated; The arms are pivotedupon the frame of the apparatus and are also fliingedly connected thereto, so that they may 0ND AND Anon-IE 0.. avis; on furornnit n; -.cALIroRNIA, nssrenonsg LiFDRN-IA.CYA NIDE ,comjrAnvamo e conro an- TENTPULIJER.

5,4923. 5 seri wo estooe,

be folded longitudinallyaalong the frame when the tractor is qi noving. :To permit manipulation of. the arms. their iaipper ends are connected to cables passing over winding di -urn swlri'cli are in turn actuated through a shaft from: the engine, suitable controlling means being interposed :ivhereby the arms may be raisedzor lowered as desired. Asthe i tents vary in: size the lifting lZtI'lllS rare. pret erably' adjustable avith reference to each other -an d may be spaced apart in accor.d-- ance with thelsize of the tent. He ferring? to the drawing tractor body which 'is mounted on Wheels. 6v and encloses -a'- suitable -.engine (not shown) which isthe source of-powier. 'sTh'e usual niecha-n-ism (not shown) :tor transmitting power to the driving-Wheels 7- of the; tractor andtfor controlling i the movements thereof are provided. These elementsf however, -form *no part of the -present invention.

- I A fra ne"7;;generally rectangular in I form and of suflicient strength to resist the stresses -to which "it -issubjected is inountedv-on the g 5 indicates the i ,These pivot sha'fts are longitudinally movable in the beari-ngs and maybe-held in any desired position by suitable clamping idevices provided therefor. v V i i {Levers '11 arei-pivotally mounted on the ends of the shafts, 10a-nd tent-carrying arms 12 arehingedly connected at 13 to the levers. I

Thea rrns-preterably consist 0t tubular telev scoping sections wh ch ay be adj u'stedjvvith reference to each other and h'eld by set screws -14, thus perniitting' variation ot the length of thegarrnsr The lower ends otthe levers 11 are -connected"= by chains '15 and springs ltitobrackets 17 on the lower side of the f r arne, the' pi i'rpose-"of this connection "beingto resiliently limit themovernent or" *the arms-when the-tent is liftedi Braces 18 are secured to the arms 12- to hold the arms *i-n proper relative positionxj The lower ends ot th'br-acesare secured to collars; 1-9 on the [pivot shafts 10land inayf be disconnected tliere' from to -per-rnit tolding of the arms on 'the h-ingesi l3i g m The upper endseo'ftheqarins 12-are con nected by cables 203m" dru-rns '21 Which {1T6 secured to a shaft) 22 mounted in bearings 23 in-the jframe and fest-ending "longitudinallythereot. -'About midwa of tllleflillhe theshafl passes through a bracket 24: carrying a stationary brake clutch A collar 26 is splined to the shaft and carries a cooperating clutch member 27. The collar is engaged by a fork 28 on a lever 29 which is pivoted at 30 on the frame. The lower end of the lever is connected by a link 31 to a hand-lever which is likewise. pivoted at 33 on the frame. A quadrant 3 f is secured to the frame and is adapted to cooperate with a locking device 35 whereby the latter is held in any desired position.

A gear is mounted'on the collar 26 and is adapted to mesh with a pinion 37 on a stub shaft 38 which is supported in a. bearing 39 on the'frame. The opposite end of V the shaft carries a sprocket 40 which is connected by a chain 11 to a sprocket 412 on a shaft 1-3 which is driven from the engine.

1 A suitable driving clutch (not shown) is interposed between the engine and the V pulled over the tree.

sprocket 1-2 to permit control'of the application of power therethrough. This clutch may be a part of the usual'mechanism of the vehicle through which power is transmitted to the driving wheels. When the vehicle is standingwith its gear-shifting mechanism (not shown) in neutral position power is transmitted through the sprocket 42 to the gear 8-6 if the latter is meshed with the pinion 37. When the vehicle isrunning the gear 86 and pinion 37 are not meshed.

At their upper endsthe. arms 12 are provided with hooks 414 to receive the rings which are secured to the edges of the tent 45. The hooks are provided with locking levers46 pivoted at 17 thereon and having ,wires 48 connected thereto and leading to a point adjacent the drivers seat so that the rings may be released after the tent has been Normally the locking levers are held in closed position by springs 49.

In utilizing the apparatus the tractor is driven under its own power to a point at one side of the tree to be covered. The arms 12 are swung outwardly on their hinges and the braces 18 are secured in position to hold the arms in proper relation. The' rings in the edge of the tent are connected to the hooks 44; and the handlever 32 is actuated to cause the gear 36. to mesh with the pinion 37. When the driving clutch is engaged the shaft 22 will be rotated under the actuation of the engine to lift the arms 12 and carry the tent upwardly over the tree, the

cables 20 being wound upon thedrums 21. Thisoperat on is continued to a sufliclent point to tension the springs 16, which are capable of slipping the driving clutch and arresting the movement of the arms. In this position the arms 12 will be swung beyond the vertical position toward the opposite side of the tractor from the tree, thus ensuring that the edge of the tent is drawn his then actuated to disengage the gear over the tree to a sufficient extent to permit it to fall in proper position. The hand lever u) fromits pinion 37 and to cause the clutch member 27 to engage the braking clutch 25.

Upon releasing the gear 36 the springs 16 will cause the arms to move backward to a slight extent and the wires .48 are then.

til)

arms move always under control of the engine or of the braking clutch 2 5 and consequently can be operated by the driver of the tractor while he is seated thereon. necessary to provide another operator to secure the tent rings to the hooks and to otherwise adjust the tents while the tractor is moving to the next tree. a a

The apparatus described provides highly efficient means for handling and placing tents over trees for fumigation purposes.

t is relatively simple in construction, 1s easily maintained in operative condition and saves a vast amount of labor in the handling of tents. V

Various changes may be made in the form and details of construction of the parts without departing from the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

1. In an apparatus for placing tents over trees in preparation for fumigation, the combination of a self-propelled vehicle having power means thereon, arms pivotally supported on thevehicle, means on the arms It is only" to hold a tent, means adapted to be actuated c by the power means to lift the arms and thereby raise the tent, means for controlling the descent of the arms and means permitting variation of the distance between the arms. V

2. In an apparatus for placing tents over .trees in preparation for fumigation, the

combination of a self-propelled veh cle hav-- ii'ig power means thereon, arms pivotally supported on the vehicle, means on the arms to hold a tent, means adapted to be actuated by the power means to lift the arms and thereby raise'the tent, means for controlling the descent of the arms and means for resiliently limiting the tent-lifting movement of the arms.

3. In an apparatus for placing tents over trees in preparation for fumigation, the combination of a self-propelled vehicle having power means thereon, arms pivotally supported on the vehicle, a releasable catch on each'arm to hold the tent, means adapted to be actuated by the power means to lift the arms and thereby raise the tent, means for releasing said catches to free the tent 'lrointhe-arms and from, the releasing means, and means for controlling the descent of the arms.

supported on the vehicle so as to pass beyond the vertical position toward the opposite side of the apparatus from thetree, a releasable catch on each ,arm to hold the tent, means adapted to "be actnated'b'y-the power nenns to lift the arms, therehyraising the tent and carrying the arms to said positlon I beyond 7 the vertical, means for resiliently limiting 4. In an apparatus for placing tents over trees in preparation for fumigation, the combination of a self-propelled vehicle having power means thereon, arms pivotally this movement of the arms, means for releasing said catches to free the'tent from the arms, and meansltor controlling the descent of thearms. f

In testimony whereof We 'aflixour sigriaa tures. Y

HARRY. W1 HAMMOND. ARCHIE, o. DAVIS. 

